Palin on Sex Education

Byron York at the Corner has posted an analysis of a C-Span video from the 2006 Republican debate in the Alaska governor's race. Part of the video clarifies Palin's stance on sex education in schools.

Question:

In a recent survey you said that you would support abstinence-until-marriage education but that you would not support explicit sex-ed programs. What are explicit sex-ed programs, and does that include talking about condoms in school?

Answer:

No, I don't think that it includes something that is relatively benign. Explicit means explicit. No, I am pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I'm not anti-contraception. But yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids. I don't have a problem with that. That doesn't scare me, so it's something that I would support also.

This was a much different answer that I was expecting. Somehow I had heard the comment that she was pro-abstinence education and my initial thought that could be a potentially embarrassing point of view given her daughter's pregnancy. I even used this argument when discussing Palin with a fellow political junkie.

I find I need to apologize for being duped into parroting a talking point. Once again, there is more to the real story than the scrolling CNN headline on the subject. This issue I find of minor importance--actually of no importance. The president and vice president have far greater things to worry about than sex education. This just serves as one more example that if we can get past the mud slinging there is often more information and positions that are much more interesting.